Connecticut western news., 1887-06-29
THE LOST DEED.
BY ISABEL HOLMES.

Reuben Hill was saying to his wife, as he wiped tho precipitation from his face with his rcd, polka-dottcd handkerchief. Nathan was SO methodical like about his papers and everything. It wasn't like him to mislay it. But have looked through all tho drawers of that old ma hogany desk and among his other papers fifty times, guess. l know he meant the Red Brook Farm for Oscar, but if that deed is never found l suppose his own boys will take it."
 Mrs. Hill was bending over tho kitchen stove with flushed face, for tho day was hot. The odor of fried ham filled tho air. She stood back and looked at Rcu- ben by the open window, with mcd- tativc air.
 ''It is queer about it." she echoed. It will bo mean enough if Oscsr gets cheated out of share in the property. He worked faithfully for Nathan till he was of age, moro faithfully than his own boys, and Nathan thought so much of him, too"
 'And meant to do the square thing by him." Reuben continued. "You don't suppose Robert or Will had hand in"
 Reuben interrupted himself to look up, as strange shadow fell across the square of sunlight in the kitchen door. A girl, a stranger, carrying valise, was standing there. Her comedy face was flushed, and she seemed somewhat over come with the heat.
 Mrs. Hill looked at her with an en- couraging smile. Tho girl stepped in side tho doorway in response to the mute welcome.
 'Don't you want to hire girl at low wages through the hot weathera" she enquired abruptly.
 ''We do our own york;" Mrs. Hill responded. "Our own girls, Addie and Lottie, are both at home this summer. Have you come far2 You look heated. Won't you sit down where it IS cool and rest9"
 "I have walked from Kennebunk this forenoon," said the girl. II am pretty tired"
 She sat down in the Madras-covered chair by the open door. Her eyes wandered around the kitchen as if she recognized something familiarin the sur roundings, although she was stranger.
 ''You've come pretty long stretch, {" Reuben volunteered, giving her quick, sh-ewd glance. He was apt to be on the lookout for strangers. Mrs. Hill regarded her with the kind motherliness she felt for her own girls.
 "You'll feel better after you have had some dinner with us," she said.
 "Just left a place, I s'pose," Reuben commented.
 "Yes" said the girl. She spoke with slight Scotch accent. She seemed { little embarrassed with the question, and her eyes wandered through tho door te the hired men coming up to dinner from the hay field.
 'EI had a pretty good place, but wanted change" she said, bringing her glance to bear upon Rsuben's face bashfulIy.
 "A girl odght to stick to good place." he ventured.
 She made no reply to this ''feeler, J but something like smile fi,tel ovel her face.
 "sort of odd, I guess" was Reuben'
 thought.
 Mrs. Hill removed tho "sizzling'
 spider from the hot stove, and taking III
 the platter of brown slices of ham, sh said to the girl: "Come in this way and take off you
 hat"
 The girl followed her into the coo
 dining-room and gave the same peculia
 glance around. Mrs. Hill set the platte
 on tho invitingly laid tablo and thcl
 conducteI the stranger into her owl , bedroom adjoining, where tho hig , feather bed stood, covered with patch work quilt of pink and white ''baskc 3 work"
 l 'Just lay your things on tho bed an come right out to dinncr," Mrs. Hi 9 said. "Hcrc's little girl who wants , place to work" she said to Lottio, wh just then came out of the buttery wit huge apple pie, which she placed o , the table.
 "Well, there's enough work to | 3 done here, dear knows," Lottie returnc briskly, with friendly nod to the new 2 conner. ''There's sewing enough keep Addie busy six months, and tn; : spinning-I don't believe you'll g round to it before Christmas. It talk us both all the time to pott' round with the household. Ido thin ours beats all the houses in tho neigl borhood to pile up work. Yet we al $ always at it, late and early" The hired men now came in and tl g family gathered around the table. Osca a tall, rather good- looking fellow, & directly opposite the girl. She WI D looking around upon tho assemble
 faces with that strange look of half rec